I do a lot of Internet searches, so I'm glad Internet Explorer 6 lets me enter search terms instead of just a URL in the address bar. Unfortunately, IE defaults to an MSN search, and I prefer Google. I can't find a way to change the search engine. Is there a way to do searches with another engine without surfing to that engine's site?

Maryann Kahn

There sure is. Open IE and click on View | Explorer Bar | Search. This opens a side panel for searches. If your side panel has the animated search character, select Change Preferences and then select Change Internet Search Behavior. A list of popular search engines appears, and you can select your favorite from the list.

This new default setting applies only to searches done from the side panel. Entering keywords into the address bar will still trigger an MSN search. But if you leave the side panel open, you can search with your favorite engine without having to navigate to its site first. And you'll get search refinement suggestions in the sidebar along with your engine's results.

If you'd rather search from the address bar, after selecting Change Internet Search Behavior select With Classic Internet Search. Then close IE and reopen it. The side panel will now contain a Customize selection on the menu bar. Click on that to open the Customize Search Settings dialog. Click on the Autosearch settings button and you'll see a second dialog that lets you change the default engine for searches from the address bar itself. Once you've chosen the engine you prefer, you can close the side panel. Searches entered in the address bar will now be sent to your preferred search engine.

If you don't see your favorite search engine among those listed in IE you may be able to add yours anyway. AllTheWeb, for example, lets you click on an option to make it the default search engine in IE (www.alltheweb.com/help/tools/msie.html#2).

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